Waaaay past the secondaries in fourth. I was getting up to an indicated 6200-6300rpm at an indicated 120-125mph at the end of the "straight." With the 225/50-16 track tires and their 3/32" of tread remaining, the speedometer read an indicated 70mph at a GPS measured 68.9mph on the highway back to the hotel at the end of the first day for an error of about -1.57%. For the indicated 125mph, that calculates to a true velocity of about 123mph. Last year, I measured a maximum 122.0 mph with the GPS at the end of the straight. The difference could easily be attributed to wind speeds or extra exit velocity from the esses before the front straight.
I was enjoying the higher speeds thorugh the corners, but they weren't drastically different than the speeds with the Bridgestone S-03's last year. The R compounds added a good measure of confidence with their communication at the limts - which were exceeded repeatedly. The fastest corner 7, the left hander at the end of the longest section of the back striaght, I ususally entered near the rev limit in third gear - between 7,000 and 7,300 rpm. I would just lift a bit on the accelerator pedal to transfer the weight to the outboard trires and let the car take a set. The car would clip the apex at the dip in the corner at around 90mph and I would be back on the gas full throttle to the next braking zone.
I seemed to gain the most ground in the braking zones. With the '96 brake upgrade and carbon metallic pads, I had good confidence in my ability to scrub off speed. No fade through the whole 25-minute session. Anti-lock would be exercised frequently on the bumpier braking sections. Even the instructor that rode along the first session of each day said, "this car has good brakes." I got to ride in his "black Ford product," a Ford GT. That was quite a blast. Literally.
SHO Lapping TWS at 366,000 miles
looked like fun!
